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MINI Not Afraid of Audi A1, Alfa MiTo

MINI is no longer a single player in its class but doesn't bother the iconic brand at all. Although Alfa Romeo has joined the race with the MiTo, while Audi launched the A1, MINI and BMW remain indifferent to competition and say that the other models won't harm its sales at all.

Company officials said at the Australian launch of the new MINI range that the brand will remain appealing for those who want to purchase a symbol and emphasized that competitive prices won't be a threat for the revised lineup.

"I'm sure you're aware of certain competitors that are really looking at our markets to take our sales away, and we're just here to say that ain't going much further," Mini Australia national manager David Woollcott told drive.com.au. "It's important for everybody to distinguish the rational argumentation and the emotional. The emotional [factor] we know that we have [with Mini]," he added.

"There's a lot of things we can do [to counter rivals] but it's untested. We haven't had a competitor in this environment. That's clearly why those competitors want to see what Mini's doing. We're just saying that if you want the emotion, if you want the cheekiness, if you want the go-kart feel, then we [offer] that scenario."

A thing worth mentioning is that the 2011 MINI has been named the most efficient car in its class by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The 2011 MINI Cooper is rated at 29 mpg (9.74 liters per 100 km) city and 37 mpg (7.63 liters per 100 km) highway mileage, although BMW gave the MINI a power boost. The MINI Cooper's naturally aspirated 1.6-liter four cylinder engine now produces 121 horsepower and 114 lb-ft (154 Nm) of torque.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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